Thursday, July 02, 2015

Ruthless Off-Broadway

If you enjoy independent movies or musicians that not everyone is familiar with, then you must enjoy huge production value in small packages. If I'm correct and you do then I have some great news for you. Ruthless! The Musical is now open Off-Broadway! Playing at St. Luke's Theatre on 46th and 8th, Ruthless! is a small musical spoof with a cast less than 10 people that packs a serious punch!

This musical comedy has quite the history. It opened Off Broadway in 1992. It parodies famous movies and plays like The Bad Seed and Gypsy. And when it first opened, 11-year olds Natalie Portman and Britney Spears served as understudies for the show's star Laura Bell Bundy! It never opened on Broadway, which I think is pretty cool seeing how much potential this show actually has. The theatre in which it plays only seats about 120 people. This makes it quite the hidden treasure.

This musical takes all the creepiness of the movies and plays it's based on and puts on a witty, silly, satirical spin. It includes a stellar cast; especially the leading tween who plays 8-year old, fame-hungry Tina Denmark who'll do whatever it takes to get the lead role in the school play. Anything.
It's jam-packed with zingers, one-liners, irony, and the perfectly timed F-bombs that'll leave your gut absolutely busted.

And the best and most understated element of this play is its environment. There really isn't a bad seat in the house. No matter where one sits, there's a sense of intimacy. The live piano player provides all the music for the cast. You're up close and personal with the cast (so much that eye contact is occasionally made) and you really feel the volume, breadth, and intensity of each performer's vocal capabilities. I truly believe this is a show that should not be missed!

And no matter the size of the venue, or the underselling of the show, we at Applause can provide you with tickets! Just give us a call!